Panetta: 'Hairspray' comes with a message

Sunday

Jul 8, 2012 at 12:01 AMJul 8, 2012 at 7:06 AM

Back in Buffalo, N.Y., during the Civil Rights era Jasmyne Providence's mother used to put her body between marchers and those harassing them.

"She used to walk along the sides of the streets to try to shield marchers from hoses and different things when she was marching (in a Civil Rights protest) - kind of like an armor bearer, kind of protecting the fleet," Providence said on a recent evening at Corn Stock Theatre Center during rehearsals for "Hairspray," which opens Friday. "She said one time she had gotten bruised ribs. Up North, it wasn't as bad as it was down South. (But) it was pretty shocking. I didn't know that."

GARY PANETTA

Back in Buffalo, N.Y., during the Civil Rights era Jasmyne Providence's mother used to put her body between marchers and those harassing them.

"She used to walk along the sides of the streets to try to shield marchers from hoses and different things when she was marching (in a Civil Rights protest) - kind of like an armor bearer, kind of protecting the fleet," Providence said on a recent evening at Corn Stock Theatre Center during rehearsals for "Hairspray," which opens Friday. "She said one time she had gotten bruised ribs. Up North, it wasn't as bad as it was down South. (But) it was pretty shocking. I didn't know that."

Swiveling hips and mile-high hair may take centerstage in light-as-a-feather "Hairspray," but it's also the kind of musical comedy that can inspire cross-generational dialogue.

Set in Baltimore in the early 1960s, "Hairspray" revolves around "The Corny Collins Show" television program and one "pleasantly plump" teenager named Tracy Turnblad. Tracy's dream is to dance on the Dick Clark-style show, but she's initially turned down because she's deemed too fat while another character named Little Inez is turned down because she is black. (Black kids are allowed only to dance on so-called "Negro Day.")

Tracy and Motormouth Maybelle, who heads Negro Day, lead a revolt of sorts against the station, calling for desegregation and equal treatment.

"Hairspray" is based, very loosely, on actual history. The original 1988 movie, "Hairpray," by John Waters was inspired by "The Buddy Deane Show," which ran on WJZ-TV in Baltimoire from 1957 to 1964. Deane's insistence on integrating the show led to its cancellation.

"It teaches younger people where older people are coming from," said Providence, who stars as Motormouth Maybelle. "The multicultural relationships - they were not tolerated. People got basically stoned if they (dated interracially) - let alone homosexuality, drag queens, things of that nature. My mother said,

'Yeah, we have come a long way, and we still have a long way to go. But it's a completely different world.' It's amazing to have someone older tell me that because it's something to feed off of."

However that may be, the show certainly has proved its popularity.

"Hairspray" has become a favorite on local stages - performed last year at Eastlight Theatre and for a five day run at the Civic Center Theater in 2006. It also was a hit movie in 2007 with John Travolta and Queen Latifah.

Director Pam Orear said she's trying to highlight the show's message of acceptance and tolerance.

"We brought it down a little bit - it's not quite so cartoonish, a little bit more reality," said director Pam Orear. "It's a little bit more realistic to get the message across and to make it a little bit more endearing and believable."

The show's non-stop dancing and loopy humor in part explain its popularity. So does the way "Hairspray" confronts not only racial prejudice but body image issues. Instead of being a size 2, the heroine is more like a size 22 and manages to get on television and win the heart of the cute guy anyway.

"It's OK to be big, it's OK to be you, basically," Providence said. "I like Motormouth because she's so comfortable in her skin that she's sexy. I had to completely remold my ideas about the character - I was thinking that Motormouth was an older woman. And they're like, no she's sexy. I thought, 'Wow, OK.' So I had to revamp the way that I thought about Motormouth and portray the way she actually is. I love Motormouth and the way she talks in rhyme. I love that character."

'Hairspray'

- What: Larger-than-life adolescent tries to integrate a popular television show and vanquish the program's reigning princess, finding true love in the process. Directed by Pam Orear.

- When: 7:30 p.m. July 13-21.

- Where: Corn Stock Theatre, Upper Bradley Park,1700 N. Park Road.

- Tickets: General admission is $18. Youth are admitted for $12. Call 676-2196 or 1-800-220-1185.

Gary Panetta is the fine arts columnist and a critic for the Journal Star. He also has a blog, Bach and Lemon Shakeups, at pjstar.com. Panetta can be reached at 686-3132 or gpanetta@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @GaryPanetta.